Preface
Briefing description and more.
There is agreement among the credentialed dietetic and medical communities that we do not need animal products to be healthy, and that vegan diets are health-promoting and protective against chronic diseases.
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| Text: | |
| Key Points | 4 |
| Counterclaims | 0 |
| Advocacy Notes | 4 |
| Footnotes | 38 |
| Media: | |
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| Flash Cards | 50 |
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Summary
A concise summary of the briefing (see below for citations).
Dietetic associations and prominent health organizations like Harvard Health, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare endorse a plant-based diet as healthy.
These organizations go beyond saying a vegan diet is a healthy eating pattern, they also acknowledge its ability to combat health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.
Kaiser Permanente even advises doctors to recommend a plant-based diet to patients with these conditions, and Cleveland Clinic acknowledges that “[t]here really are no disadvantages to a herbivorous diet!”
The US Department of Agriculture, despite its support for animal agriculture, recognizes a vegan diet as healthy in its dietary guidelines.
No required nutrients must come from animals, as evidenced by the endorsements from these organizations.
Context
Places this topic in its larger context.
For veganism to be considered valid, it’s not required to prove that a vegan diet is superior, only that it is sufficient for good health. Demonstrating the benefits of a vegan diet can support its viability, which is why we explore some of those benefits here.
However unlikely, if future research were to reveal that a required nutrient could only be sourced from animals, veganism would remain valid. In such a scenario, we would have a moral duty to consume only the necessary animal product in the smallest necessary quantity, and acquired in the least harmful way.
Key Points
This section provides talking points.
Prominent health organizations embrace a vegan diet.
Harvard Health,1 Mayo Clinic,2 Cleveland Clinic,3 Kaiser Permanente,4 and NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare,5 all say that a plant-based diet is healthy.
These organizations also acknowledge the ability of a plant-based diet to fight health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.6789
Kaiser Permanente even advises their doctors to recommend a plant-based diet to their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity.10
Dietetic associations endorse a vegan diet.
The endorsement of totally vegan diets by dietetic associations has maximum credibility because human nutrition is their primary concern and the focus of their research.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (United States),11 the British Dietetic Association,12 the Dietitians of Canada,13 and the Dietitians Association of Australia,14 have all made pronouncements on the viability of a vegan diet.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics issued a formal position statement that a well-planned vegan diet is fine “for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”15
The US government says a vegan diet is healthy.
- In its dietary guidelines for 2015–2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) acknowledged that a vegan diet is a healthy eating pattern. It acknowledged this in its discussion of Vegetarian Eating.16
- This is particularly telling since the USDA is a strong supporter of animal agriculture, providing billions annually in subsidies.17
There are no required nutrients that must come from animals.
- Even though certain vested interests have insinuated that certain nutrients must come from the animal kingdom, there is no convincing evidence to support this.
- If such evidence existed, the organizations mentioned could not have endorsed and praised a vegan diet.
- It is impossible to name even one required nutrient that must come from animals.
Counterclaims
Responses to some yes but retorts.
No counterclaims are addressed in this section, as the entire briefing is countering misconceptions about vegan diets in general. The briefings in the Human Health section of our knowledge base will counter more specific misconceptions.
Supplementary Info
Additional information that may prove useful.
Quotes from Medical Professionals and Organizations
Walter Willet, chair of Harvard School of Public Health
“I think if we really care about the world our children and grandchildren will inherit, we do need to shift toward [a vegan diet],” said Willett. “And the good news is that it’s not just our planet that will be more healthy, but we will be more healthy as well.”18
Dr. Kim Williams, past president of the American College of Cardiology, advises his patients to go vegan19 and says that…
“There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans and those who haven’t read the data.”20
Cleveland Clinic
“Obtaining proper nutrients from non-animal sources is simple for the modern herbivore.”21
Harvard Medical School
“Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.”22
Kaiser Permanente
“Healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet, which we define as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages meats, dairy products, and eggs as well as all refined and processed foods.”23
Cleveland Clinic
“There really are no disadvantages to a herbivorous diet! A plant-based diet has many health benefits, including lowering the risk for heart disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. It can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, plus maintain weight and bone health.”24
NewYork Presbyterian
“[P]lant-based diets are believed to be an effective means of treating chronic disease, including diabetes. They also combat obesity and lower blood pressure and the risk for cardiovascular disease.”25
The PlantPure Nation Initiative
PlantPure Nation is a movie documenting a community health initiative.26
Note: At the time of writing, the PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple.
This initiative ran pilot programs, called pods, in rural communities where participants were provided veganized versions of traditional recipes for 10 days, including lasagna, spaghetti, vegan meatballs, veggie burgers, etc.. Participants received lab tests before and after the 10 days.
In just 10 days, participants experienced significant improvements in key health markers, such as reductions in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and body weight. Many reported better energy levels and a decrease in reliance on medications.
Michael McEntee of Impact Health, the biometric tester, said “I’ve been testing for 26 years, we’ve tested millions of people, and I’ve never seen results like this.”
One participant, whose results were not unusual, expressed disbelief on being told his results: his cholesterol went from 277 to 150 and triglycerides went from 395 to 98, all in less than two weeks.
The Ornish Reversal Program
The Dean Ornish Reversal Program, is a comprehensive lifestyle intervention designed to reverse heart disease,27 the number one cause of death in the United States.28
It is the only program scientifically proven in randomized controlled trials to reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery.29
Key components of this whole food, plant-based diet is that it is naturally low in fat and refined carbohydrates, and benefits from stress management, exercise, and social support lifestyle changes.30
The program has been implemented in numerous hospitals31 and is approved by Medicare.32
Caldwell Esselstyn on Preventing Heart Disease
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure, presents a compelling argument for the power of a plant-based diet in combating heart disease.33
The book draws on the results of Dr. Esselstyn’s nutritional study, which demonstrated that a plant-based diet can prevent, stop, and even reverse heart disease.34
The images of angiograms in the book provide compelling visual evidence of the diet’s effectiveness. The “before” images show coronary arteries narrowed by plaque buildup, while the “after” images, taken after patients followed a plant-based diet, reveal widened arteries with reduced plaque and improved blood flow.35
The original 199536 study was criticized because of its patient population size of 22, so he conducted another study in 2014 with 198 patients. The larger study showed virtually the same results.37
Further Study
Sources providing a deeper understanding of the topic or related topics.
Other Resources
The comprehensive edition of Brenda Davis’s book Becoming Vegan provides an exhaustive treatment of vegan nutrition.38
Sentient’s article “Plant-Based Diets Boast Many Health Claims, but What Does the Science Show?” takes care to not overstate health claims.
Advocacy Resources
Information to help with outreach and advocacy.
Additional media and advocacy resources are on the way, though not every briefing will feature every type of media.
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Advocacy Notes
Tips for Advocacy and Outreach
When engaging in a general conversation to promote veganism and animal rights, consider starting by asking whether the person believes vegan diets can be healthy. If they respond positively, you can transition to discussing ethical considerations without spending additional time on the health aspect.
However, if they respond negatively, they may be using the belief that vegan diets are unhealthy as a justification for supporting practices that contribute to animal cruelty. In this case, you can address their concerns by sharing information that challenges this misconception, as outlined in the summary. Once you help them move past this barrier, you can shift the conversation to focus on the ethics of exploiting animals.
If you need to converse on the topic of vegan diets in greater detail, the information in the Supplementary Info section can be highly persuasive. This content was included because the author of this briefing found it to be particularly effective based on their personal experience.
Avoid getting caught up in the intricate details of studies. Instead, rely on expert testimony from well-respected and authoritative sources, such as the Mayo Clinic and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Note: referencing respected institutions or experts like the Mayo Clinic and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is not an example of the appeal to authority fallacy; rather, it is an appeal to legitimate expertise.
Footnotes
Our sources, with links back to where they’re used.
- “Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. April 15, 2020. ↩︎
- Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition.” Mayo Clinic. March 14, 2016 ↩︎
- Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
- Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
- Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. ↩︎
- Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 18, 2016. ↩︎
- Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
- Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. ↩︎
- Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
- Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
- Vegetarian Diets.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. December 2016. ↩︎
- British Dietetic Association.” The Vegan Society. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Vegans.” Dietitians of Canada, November 2017. ↩︎
- Vegan Diets: Everything You Need to Know – Dietitians Association of Australia.” Dietitians Association of Australia. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
- Vegetarian Diets.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. December 2016 ↩︎
- USDA Food Patterns: Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern.” Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Eighth Edition. Accessed August 4, 2017. ↩︎
- Hayes, Jared. “USDA Livestock Subsidies Top $59 Billion | Environmental Working Group.” Www.ewg.org, 30 Aug. 2023. ↩︎
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “Vegan diet can benefit both health and the environment“, In the New, 2019, Accessed July 31, 2024 ↩︎
- O’Connor, Anahad. “Advice From a Vegan Cardiologist.” New York Times: Well (blog), August 6, 2014. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/advice-from-a-vegan-cardiologist/ ↩︎
- “Cardiologist Kim Williams, M.D. Wants To Eradicate Heart Disease.” Rich Roll, November 5, 2017. http://www.richroll.com/podcast/kim-williams/ ↩︎
- Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
- Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 18, 2016. ↩︎
- Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
- Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
- Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. ↩︎
- The PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple.
↩︎ - .Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, ↩︎
- CDC. “Leading Causes of Death.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 May 2024. ↩︎
- UCLA Health. Scientifically Proven Research for the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. ↩︎
- Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine. ↩︎
- Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine. ↩︎
- “Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) Programs | CMS.” Cms.gov, 2014. Accessed 12 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
- Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease : The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. New York, Avery, A Member Of Penguin Group (Usa) Inc, 2008. ↩︎
- Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease : The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. New York, Avery, A Member Of Penguin Group (Usa) Inc, 2008. ↩︎
- Caldwell Esselstyn, Caldwell. Dr. Esselstyn’s Story – Esselstyn Foundation. ↩︎
- Esselstyn CB Jr, Ellis SG, Medendorp SV, Crowe TD. A strategy to arrest and reverse coronary artery disease: a 5-year longitudinal study of a single physician’s practice. J Fam Pract. 1995 Dec;41(6):560-8. PMID: 7500065. ↩︎
- Esselstyn CB Jr, Gendy G, Doyle J, Golubic M, Roizen MF. A way to reverse CAD? The Journal of Family Practice. 2014 Jul;63(7):356-364b. PMID: 25198208. ↩︎
- Davis, Brenda, and Vesanto Melina. Becoming Vegan The Complete Reference to Plant-Based Nutrition. Com edition. Summertown, Tennessee: Book Pub Co, 2014 ↩︎
